Container for prophylactic rubbers



Jufly 23, 1935.

T. H. PETERSON ET AL CONTAINER FOR PROPHYLACTIC RUBBERS Filed July '7, 1955 INVEN Tom.

Patented July 23, 1935 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE Thomas H. Peterson, Oakland, and Edwin V. Sweeney, Berkeley, Calif.

Application July 7, 1933, Serial No. 679,338

13 Ciaiins. (Cl. 296-46) The invention relates to containers for packing and handling and protecting delicate rubber goods which are of a nature that may be compressed into a relatively small space and which assist in their urge to expand to expedite their removal from the container.

An object of the invention is to provide a container of the character described which will afford a maximum protection to the enclosed rubbers in preventing the latter from being accidently removed, or pierced, torn or crushed, while being arranged to withstand dropping and normal abuse, and at the same time being impervious to dirt and other deleterious foreign matter thus providing for the careful packing of the rubbers and maintenance th reof in sanitary condition over long periods of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a container of the character described in which the handling and usage thereof will be greatly facilitated by reason of the convenient small handling size of the container and the simplicity and ease with which the rubbers may be removed or replaced as well as by reason of provision for the ready disposal or destroying of the container after use thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of the character described which may be constructed with a minimum number of parts and gluing thereof and which in the wrapping of the rubbers will not require the use of bands, stickers or seals, to the end that the cost of manufacture and work in assembling will be reduced to an absolute minimum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a container of the character described which in its arrangement of the parts thereof and by reason of its inherent attractive size will present a singularly individual and artistic appearance.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, is set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which 4 is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main body portion of a container constructed in accordance, with our invention and shown with the outer casing thereof open and partially in section to illustrate the. interior parts of the container. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a metal outer case arranged in accordance with our invention for carrying the casing shown in Figure 1. 5

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the casing and case in completely assembled position with the closure of the latter removed in portion to better show the arrangement of the inner parts.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the in- 10 dividual inner casings in closed formation. Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views of the easing shown in Figure 4 and taken on the planes of lines 55 and 6-45 respectively of Figure' l.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an inner cas- 5 ing in open position.

Figure 8 is a section view taken on the plane of the line 8-4! of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified arrangement of one of the individual inner casings. 20

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the container modified slightly from the form shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the container H of our invention comprises an outer 25 casing l2 formed of paper or the like and housing'a plurality of inner casings H of similar material and which are arranged for individually wrapping in rolled compact form prophylactic rubbers M. The casing 52 as here shown in- 30 eludes opposed spaced front and rear walls l6 and I! between which and bottom and side walls l8 and I9 are defined, such as by means of partitions 22, a plurality of elongated rectangular compartments 23. These compartments as may 35 be noted from Figure 1 open to a common end opening 24 defined at the upper ends of the front, rear and side walls and are each arranged to slidably receive one of the inner casings it, the latter as will be understood being insertable 40 into and with-drawable from the compartments through the opening 24. Preferably an end closure flap 2'! is provided for covering the opening 24 and as here shown is formed as an extension of the rear wall I7 and folded to overlie the top of the front and side walls and to extend into covering relationover the upper portion 28 of the outer side of the front wall. Means are preferably provided for securing the flap in closed position and here comprises a tongue portion 29 formed at theextremity of the flap and which is arranged for insertion and retention in a suitable slot 32 provided in the front wall of the casing.

7 As' a particularly important feature'of our in- V vention is the arrangement of the inner casings [3 which provides for the careful and protective wrapping of the rubbers in a rolled and slightly compressed form and which on removal from the outer casing is automatically partially opened under the urge of the rubber compressed therein, whereby the rubber itself is at least partially self extruding in a manner positively insuring the ready removal of the rubber from the easing without the necessity of tearing or breaking any bands, seals, stickers, envelopes or the like which makes for likely abuse and accidental tearing or breaking of the rubbers, and without in any way subjecting the rubber to any harmful stress, and yet arranged in a manner preventing the complete self extrusion and falling out of the rubber, whereby the latter will, even with the inner casing removed, be held under the protective cover of the casing. All this is accomplished by reason of the design of the inner casings which as here shown comprise a rectangular prism shaped enclosure when closed and expansible from such closed position to an open position with the several sides thereof moved to an open or obtusely related position. With reference to Figures 4.- to 9 inclusive it will be noted that each of the casings, which may be formed from a blank of paper or the like, include a rear wall 33, side portions 3 and 37 and overlapped front portions or walls 338 and 39. In addition there is provided such as by extensions of the rear wall, end closure flaps c2 and 43, each of which are comprised of end closure portions 44 and right angular extending retaining portions 45, the portions i4 serving as will be clear to prevent endwise movement of the rubber in the casing and the portions it; serving as will be hereinafter more fully understood to prevent sidewise escape of the rubber.

With reference more particularly to Figures 4, 5 and 6, the inner casings when in closed formation are each arranged to envelop a prophylactic rubber M which is, previous to its insertion in the casing, rolled to a normal annular formation and compressed sidewise by the side portions 34 and 3'! upon fully closing the easing so as to form a compact elongated forma tion as shown in Figure 5. This by reason of the sidewise distortion of the rubber, which is of an inherently resilient material, it will be understood that there is set up within the casing, when the latter is closed, a sidewise expansion force tending to open the casing. Preferably and as an important feature of the invention, the paper or other material forming the casing is of such weakness as to provide for at least a partial opening of the casing under this force and when so permitted the latter will therefore tend to assume an open position as shown in Figures 7 and 8. In this latter position the rear, side and front portions will have moved from a rectangularly related position such as when closed to an obtusely related position leaving the rubber exposed and removable through a center opening 41 formed by the parting of the front walls 38 and 39. While the rubber is in this manner at least partially self extruding, it is retained nevertheless from becoming completely disassociated from the casing by means of the end flap portions 46 which are positioned in the casings shown in Figures 4.- to 8 inside the front wall portions 38 and 39 and serve, by reason of the fact that the expanding force is entirely sidewise and at right angles to the plane of the flap portions, to retain the rubber, even after expansion thereof, firmly held against the rear wall 33 of the casing. In the casing shown in Figure 9, a modi fled arrangement of the casing walls is shown which provides for the very convenient partial self extrusion of the rubber from the side rather than the center of the casing. As here shown, the flap portions 45 are disposed between the overlapping front walls 38 and 3% and serve on expansion of the casing, to retain the side and front walls 34 and 38 substantially in closed position while permitting the side and front walls 3'! and 39 to be move-d to an open position and adjacent which the rubber will be partially extended and exposed for removal.

As will be understood, the inner casings are arranged to be slipped when in closed rectangular formation into the compartments 23 provided by the outer casing I2, the compartments being of such size as to closely fit and maintain in closed position said inner casings. Also the respective lengths of the inner casings and the depths of the compartments is such as to position one end 41 of the inner casings substantially coterminous with the upper ends of the front and side wall portions of the outer casing and co-extensive with the end opening 2 3 of the compartments. Preferably the paper used in the formation of the outer and inner casings is relatively smooth to provide for the easy sliding of the individual containers into and out of their respective compartments.

In addition and as an important feature of our arrangement, means are provided for facilitating the removal of the individual casings from the outer casing. This means as here shown comprises tabs 68 provided such as by extensions of the front wall portions on the inner casing adjacent ends 4'! thereof and which are arranged to extend from the end opening 24 and over the top of the front wall portion Hi and down in covering relation to the outer front side of the outer casing just under the end flap 2i. Thus it will be understood that upon raising the flap El the tabs will be immediately accessible for eifecting the easy removal of the inner casings.

In certain instances where considerable handling of the container is prevalent and where an extra degree of protection is desirable, we have provided for the use of an outer metal case 5! which while affording a protective enclosure for the container may at the same time be orna-- merited to provide an attractive and distinctive covering. As here shown the case comprises a relatively fiat rectangular open ended shell into and from which the casing l2 may a refill be readily inserted or removed, the latter operation being especially facilitated by the provision of a finger void 52 in the front wall 53 of the case. Preferably an end closure 5 1 is pivotally carried on the case for covering the open end thereof. By reason of the use of such closure the need for an end flap on the casing 12 is dispensed with and for this purpose the flap is weakened along its base, as indicated by the dash line for effecting its removal. Preferably the tabs 525i of the individual rubber casings extend from the open end of the case and over the front side thereof under the closure. In order that the presence and number of the rubber casings may at a glance be ascertained without opening the closure, the latter is preferably provided with sight openings 56 directly over the tabs and the tabs are provided with suitable identifying marks 6!! for indicating their presence.

Means auxiliary to the closure are desirably employed for holding the casing I 2 in fully enclosed position in the case and are here shown as comprising a tongue 51 struck out inwardly from the front Wall of the case and which is positioned to engage in the slot 32 of the front casing wall A spring member 58 may as here shown be provided on the inside rear wall of the case for insuring engagement of the tongue and slot.

In Figure 10 a slightly modified form of the container is disclosed wherein the end flap 2? of the casing i2 is provided with sight openings 58' for viewing the tabs. While this form of the container maybe constructed of a little heavier paper particularly adapting it for use without the metal case, the same may be used with the case, and by reasonof the sight openings 56, which will register with the sight openings 55, will provide for the viewing of the tabs without removing the end flap 21' thereof.

' We claim:

l. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising an outer casing having separate compartments opening to a common end opening, individual cartridges for said rubbers slidably mounted in said compartments and each provided with a tab extending from said opening and lyingagainst an outerside of said casing, and a closure member covering said opening and a portion of said casing side in covering relation to said tabs and having openings therein over and through which said tabs may be viewed.

2. A container for prophylactic rubbers, comprising individual wrappers for said rubbers contractible from an open position providing for the insertion or removal of a rubber to a closed position smaller than said rubber and arranged to confine and compress a rubber therein, and an outer casing housing and maintaining in contracted position said wrappers, said wrappers being arranged to open from a closed to open position under the urge of the rubber compressed therein whereby the rubber will on removal of the wrapper from the casing be at least partially self extruding from the wrapper.

3. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising a rectangular prism shaped casing for enveloping a rubber and expandible from a closed position with the sides thereof rectangular in section and of dimensions smaller than that of the rubber to an open position with the sides thereof obtusely related in section providing for the removal of the rubber therefrom, and an outer casing having a rectilinear compartment housing and confining in closed position said first named casing, said first casing being expandible from closed to open position under the resilient urge of the compressed rubber whereby upon removal of said first casing from said compartment the latter mentioned casing will be automatically expanded by said rubber to a position providing for the removal of said rubber.

e. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising an individual wrapper for a rubber, said wrapper having side Walls expandible from a closed position defining a space smaller than the rubber and confining and compressing a rubber therein to an open position providing for the removal of the rubber therefrom, a casing housing and maintaining closed said wrapper, said wrapper being expandible under the urge of the rubber confined therein from closed to open position upon removal thereof from said casing, and end closures on said wrapper having portions thereof closing and. preventing escape of the rubber from the opposite ends of said wrapper and having sidewise extending portions engaging the rubber adjacent opposite sides thereof and preventing the latters escape sidewise from the wrapper.

5. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising a rectangular prism shaped casing for housing a rubber comprising opposed front and rear and side walls expandible from a closed position with said walls rectangularly related and confining and compressing a rubber therein to an open position with said walls obtusely related and permitting of the removal of rubber therefrom, an outer casing having front and rear sides and a rectilinear compartment therebetween housing and confining in closed position said first casing, said first casing being expandible from closed to open position under the urge of the compressed rubber therein whereby upon removal of said first casing from said compartment said firstcasing will be automatically expanded by said rubber to open position, the rear side wall of said first casing being extended to provide end closures having portions thereof closing and preventing escape of the rubber from the opposite ends of said inner casing and having portions extending substantially parallel and adjacent to the forward wall of the inner casing and preventing the escape of the rubber sidewise from the first casing, the front wall of said first casing having an extension defining a tab extending from said compartment in covering relation to the front wall of said outer casing,

a cover fiap formed as an extension of the rear wall of said outer casing and covering said compartment and tab and front outer casing wall, and means for securing said flap to said front outer casing wall.

6. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising individual casings for said rubbers having side walls arranged to expand from a closed formation smaller than the rubber contained therein to an open formation permitting of the removal of the rubber therefrom, an outer casing housing and confining in closed formation said first casings, said first casings being expandible on removal from said outer casing from closed to open formation under the urge of the compressed rubber therein and being of such stiffness as to limit the expansion thereof in a manner preventing complete self extrusion of the rubber.

'7. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising an outer casing having a plurality of compartments, individual wrappers expandible from a closed position enveloping in compressed form said rubbers to an open position permitting the withdrawal of said rubbers and housed in closed position in said compartments, said wrappers on removal from said compartments being expandible under the urge of the compressed rubber therein to an open position and comprising when in closed position a back and opposed side portions with attached inner and outer overlapping front portions, fiaps covering the ends of the wrapper and having right angular portions positioned between said overlapping front portions and being of such stiffness as to maintain on expansion of said wrapper to open position said inner front portion in substantially closed position while permitting an expansive movement of the outer front and attached side portions.

8. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising individual rectangular prism shaped casings expandible from a closed position arranged to envelop the rubbers in compressed form to an open position under the urge of the compressed rubber therein and including when in closed position rear and side sections and attached inner and outer overlapping front sections and end sections having right angular extending portions positioned between said front sections, said end sections being of suflicient stiiiness to maintain on expansion of the casing to open position said inner front section substantially in closed position while permitting an opening movement of the outer front and attached side sections, and an outer casing housing in closed position said first casings.

9. A container for prophylactic rubbers comprising individual wrappers of paper or the like for said rubbers, a casing of paper or the like having separate compartments opening to a common end opening of the casing and housing in said compartments said wrappers, an outer case of metal or the like enveloping said casing and having an end opening coterminous with said casing end opening, tabs on said wrappers extending from said end openings and lying in covering relation to an outer side of said case, and an end closure member on said case covering said open ends and said tabs and outer side and having openings therein over and through which said tabs may be viewed.

10. A container for a prophylactic rubber and being smaller when closed than said rubber, means for engaging said container and holding the latter closed and resiliently pressed against said rubber, said container being self openable under the expansive force oiiered by the rubber when so pressed whereby on release of said container from holding by said means the container will be automatically opened by said rubber.

11. A means for housing a prophylactic rubber in rolled annular form comprising, a con tainer for the rubber having a side thereof movable from positions respectively closing and opening said container and permitting in said latter position for entrance or removal of a rubber to or from the container, said container being of a dimension smaller than the diameter of said rolled form of the rubber whereby on insertion of a rubber in said container the latter will set up an expansion force against said side upon movement of said side to closed position, said side being arranged for movement to open position under the urge of said force, and a holder for said container maintaining said side in closed position whereby upon release of said container from said holder said side will be automatically moved to open position.

12. In combination with a rolled prophylactic rubber, a wrapper for said rubber defining when closed a compartment having a transverse di mension smaller than the natural diameter of the rolled rubber whereby when closed the rubber will be resiliently pressed to an elongated formation thereby setting up an expansive force on said wrapper, and means for maintaining said wrapper closed against the action of said force.

13. In combination with a rolled prophylactic rubber, a wrapper for said rubber having longitudinally extending sides movable to a closed position defining an elongated compartment haV-, ing a transverse dimension smaller than the natural diameter of the rolled rubber whereby with the wrapper closed about said rubber the latter will be resiliently pressed to an elongated formation thereby setting up an expansion force against said sides, end closures on said wrapper arranged to retain the rubber in the wrapper while permitting an expansion of said sides under the urge of said force, and means engaging and holding said sides closed against the action of said force.

THOMAS H. PETERSON. EDWIN V. SWEENEY. 

